The 2026 Lunar New Year Flight Ticket Race: Soaring Prices and Tough Choices

With the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026 still five months away, the airline ticket market is already buzzing as major carriers release millions of seats for sale. However, the initial excitement of early booking has turned into surprise and concern for passengers, as ticket prices on key routes remain high, even surpassing last year’s rates. This leaves millions of travelers planning their holiday homecoming with a tough decision: wait for potential price drops or secure their seats at current rates?

Vietnam Airlines Leads the Early Ticket Release

Major Vietnamese airlines, including Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet, Pacific Airlines, Bamboo Airways, and Vietravel Airlines, have kicked off their 2026 Lunar New Year ticket sales early. Vietnam Airlines Group (encompassing Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, and VASCO) has released over 3.5 million tickets across domestic and international routes, a nearly 20% increase from last year. Vietjet Air has also joined the race, offering 2.5 million tickets during the peak holiday season. Collectively, airlines have released approximately 6 million tickets for the period from February 2 to March 3, 2026 (15th day of the 12th lunar month to 15th day of the first lunar month).

High-demand routes are expected on traditional routes such as Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City – Da Nang, and routes from Ho Chi Minh City to Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Hai Phong, Hue, Quy Nhon, Cam Ranh, and Phu Quoc.

Prices Remain High from the Start

Despite early sales, Lunar New Year 2026 flight tickets have shocked many passengers with their high prices. Surveys show that round-trip tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hai Phong, and other destinations during the holiday start at around 7-7.5 million VND per round trip. Some prices are even higher than or equal to last year’s rates.

Specifically, for the Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi route on February 14, 2026 (27th day of the 12th lunar month), Vietjet’s lowest fare is nearly 3.1 million VND per leg, while most flights on that day are around 3.7 million VND per leg. Bamboo Airways and Vietravel Airlines currently show a ceiling price of 3.83 million VND per leg, almost on par with Vietnam Airlines at 3.86 million VND per leg. Compared to the 2025 Lunar New Year, prices this year have increased by 100,000 – 200,000 VND per leg.

Notably, Vietjet’s prices fluctuate rapidly. Initially, Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi tickets were priced from 890,000 – 1.2 million VND per leg (excluding taxes and fees). After adding taxes and fees, passengers paid around 1.5 – 1.8 million VND. However, just one week later, prices doubled; by the 25th day of the 12th lunar month, prices surged to 2.3 – 2.8 million VND (excluding taxes and fees), reaching 3.3 – 3.7 million VND per leg after taxes and fees.

Facing high prices, many passengers are opting to wait. Ms. Tran Thu Hang (Ben Thanh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared that although her family plans to return to Ninh Binh for the holiday, she hasn’t booked tickets yet, as prices released five months in advance aren’t any cheaper.

Similarly, Mr. Le Ngoc Thinh (Phuoc Long Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) is considering flying to Tho Xuan Airport (Thanh Hoa) or Dong Hoi Airport (Quang Tri) and then traveling by private vehicle to Nghe An (130-240 km away) due to Vinh Airport’s closure for repairs until the end of 2025. Mr. Thinh is still waiting to see if prices will drop.

Reasons for Price Pressure

Airlines attribute the high Lunar New Year prices to the specific supply-demand dynamics. During the holiday, tens of millions of people travel simultaneously, while airlines’ capacity is limited, causing cheap tickets to sell out quickly and forcing passengers to buy at higher rates. The current aircraft supply shortage also makes price reductions difficult.

Additionally, high fuel and peak operation costs contribute to rising ticket prices. The familiar “imbalance” issue persists: before the holiday, routes from Ho Chi Minh City to northern and central provinces are overcrowded, while return flights have many empty seats; after the holiday, this trend reverses. To balance, airlines often increase prices on peak routes and reduce them on less popular routes, even offering “0 VND” tickets after the holiday. Inflation and exchange rate pressures are additional challenges airlines face.

Economy and Premium Economy Seats Sell Out Fastest

Contrary to rumors of immediate sellouts, 2026 Lunar New Year tickets are still available on airline websites. Most peak flights still have seats in various classes, except for some fully booked business class flights. Notably, economy and premium economy seats are in short supply, with some peak routes like Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City – Vinh, Thanh Hoa, and Hai Phong nearly sold out just days after release.

Airlines advise passengers to plan and book early to secure suitable flights, avoid price hikes, and ensure convenient departure times. Waiting until the last minute often results in higher prices and limited options. Passengers should also be flexible with travel times, as early morning or late-night flights may offer better prices. Comparing prices across airlines and purchasing tickets through official channels or authorized agents is recommended to avoid counterfeit tickets or price gouging.